For some guns like my AR, my duty Sig, and my off-duty Glock, I try to clean and lube once a month. For everything else, it's 6 months to a year, depending on how it's stored. Oil, grease, etc., all breaks down over time, and will eventually evaporate or gum up. Without cleaning, this can lead to lack of protection, effect on reliability, or even downright damage to the gun.

“You can get more of what you want with a kind word and a gun than you can with just a kind word.” - Al Capone

“Victorious warriors win first, then go to war; defeated warriors go to war first, then seek to win.” - Sun-Tzu

I used to clean 'em about two or three days after shooting them, or once or twice a year anyway. Guns being put into storage (i.e., I don't plan to shoot them for a while) get a special treatment, and require a quick fluff before being taken out. (Basement is a little too damp to suit me in the summer.)

My EDC's tend to get a quick fluff whenever I have a little time, and a serious strip-down every few months.

If I was Open Carrying (as in "uniform duty" or non-LE OC), I'd prefer to clean and lubricate as often as possible. Cold weather and moisture aren't good for these things.

(Which also explains Tupperguns.)

Regards,

Stu.

(Why write a quick note when you can write a novel?)

(Why do those who claim to wish to protect me feel that the best way to do that is to disarm me?)

Not too often. I am sorta doing a test on the CZ75-P01. I think it will go several thousand rounds before it has a hiccup. The grunge will probably get to me before it is even close to really 'needing' a cleaning. I do clean the other guns more often, especially if I am using dirty ammo. Also, in the summer I often bellyband or pocket carry, and those guns get cleaned/oiled much more often. The CZs and Sigs can put up with a LOT more dust/grime/dirt than the LCP or Kahr...those little guns are enough finicky when clean.

As far as a complete teardown and cleaning, when I change out springs or if there is an issue. So far only the j-frame and M&P have gotten the full treatment (while they were getting modifications as well).

I have a typical method but it's tough to pigeon-hole it in a vote choice.

For my EDC, I only clean it after shooting, and it's typically the first one I will clean. I don't like to ever carry a dirty gun, and just about the only time that happens is on the drive home from the shooting range.

For other handguns, I will clean them at some point AFTER a range trip, but NOT if I have another range trip planned within a week or two and I know I will take that handgun. Like mentioned in an earlier post, I have been known to take down a semi-auto and re-lube or check the lube.

Sometimes a handgun will sit in the safe uncleaned after a range trip, but only if I have forgotten to clean it. This doesn't bother me, honest dirt from shooting isn't going to hurt it, I just prefer them to be cleaned. Also, much easier to inspect them for any possible "issues" if they are totally clean.

I will almost always ensure that anything I have shot cast lead bullets through gets thoroughly cleaned and I do this because I've long been wary of shooting jacketed bullets through a bore that has run cast lead without having been cleaned. Way back in the day, many suggested that a few jacketed shots down a bore would "clean out all that lead" and some time later, someone else began teaching that jacketed after lead will simply weld the lead to the bore and make it outrageously difficult to remove. So what's the real answer? I do not know, but I have dealt with heavy barrel leading before and I can tell you that it sucks out loud and not fun to remove, so I tend to not take chances.

On any handgun where I bring both cast lead and jacketed on the same range trip, I shoot all my jacketed FIRST and then cast lead later, and no jacketed again until after I have cleaned.

Rimfire rifles are a whole other ballgame... I tend to not clean them until they give me a reason to clean them. My semi-auto rimfire pistol (Ruger Mark II) doesn't get a full tear-down after each range trip, just every so often.

I like to swap brass... and I'm looking for .32 H&R Mag, .327 Fed Mag, .380 Auto and 10mm. If you have some and would like to swap for something else, send me a note!

Follow up questions: Does your choice of lubrication, oil, or grease determine when/if you clean it? Would you clean more or less if you kept it dry?

I use TW-25B on all of my guns, and S&W gun oil where I feel grease isn't appropriate (like on the recoil springs), so I feel confident they will work when I need them to, even if I forget to clean it. However, back in the days before I used grease and I just used Rem Oil, I felt I needed to clean them more often. This is probably why I have a more strict habit these days. Since using grease, I've noticed my guns appear dirtier, but operate smoother. It's weird, like the grease breaks down over use (especially on my AR, where it's most evident), and appears to be a total mess, but the bolt is much smoother than if I didn't use lubrication at all.

“You can get more of what you want with a kind word and a gun than you can with just a kind word.” - Al Capone

“Victorious warriors win first, then go to war; defeated warriors go to war first, then seek to win.” - Sun-Tzu

Only give the LCP a bit more cleaning as its in the pocket and the little bit of grease I do apply to the rails does attract the gunk. Funny though I tend to shoot a few rounds out of it right before I clean the gunk out. Never have had a FTF or any hiccup.

Last year, my range/class pistol usually saw cleaning after 1,500 to 1,700 rounds - that averages out to about 3 one-day seminars, and yes, I'll add a few drops of lube prior to each session. But if the gun gets muddy or excessively wet, I'll clean it, regardless of the round-count. This year, I'll likely let them go for twice as long, as at the current interval, I see virtually no malfunctions. Last year, I put 17,000 rounds on this gun, and this year, I'll likely double that.....

I like to shoot my carry pistol to verify function after disassembly, so I rarely end up carrying her completely clean. Now that I have an exact duplicate of her as one of my two range/class-pistols, I don't think I'll shoot her much any more (I put about 8,000 rounds on her last year). My main worry for EDC is built-up lint/gunk from carry, so the innards get inspected with a quick peek every month or so, while the outside gets a wipe-down once a week.

I wish I could find someone to clean my guns for me at a reasonable price; the gunsmith offered to do it, but at $35. per gun. I clean the guns within a day or two after each shooting session because I like to take clean guns to the weekly range visits. Also, the rifle bores get a semi-annual bath with foaming copper dissolver that helps keep the accuracy satisfactory.